If we are productive from the word go. The rest of our day is surely to follow. In the world of building lean muscle this is no different.

So why, then, do we start our day with no rhyme or reason? We wake up and follow a routine that has no real purpose to it. It’s simply “what we do” every morning that gets us to the next phase of our day.

A morning routine is pertinent to our success in any walk of life. In our careers, the right morning routine will help us focus and maintain high energy levels for the remainder of the day. In the world of building lean muscle, a morning routine will help us naturally raise testosterone levels, lower cortisol, and recover from the day’s workout.

Sleep (7 to 8 hours of it) is vital to your lean muscle gains. Sleep is where you’re going to recover. Between 4-6am is when your testosterone levels are at their height. When your body is actively buildingmuscle.

Seven to eight hours is the goal. Any more is laziness.

Coming from a guy who’s suffered from in insomnia my entire life, I’ve tried everything. A strict sleeping routine is the best way to ensure a good night’s sleep. By programming your body to fall asleep, then rise at the same time 7 days a week, you’re guaranteeing that you’re getting the most out of this ‘optimal recovery time.’

Following this routine will prime your muscles, wake you up, and boost your metabolism before you ingest any food.

I’ve found it’s also help me become more alert in the morning which has helped with my work. My muscles feel more ‘awake’ during the day as well. And it’s resulted in better workouts.

3. Hydrate.

While we’re sleeping, our bodies are still functioning. Our muscles and organs are using water, without getting any hydration in return.

Come morning time we’re severely dehydrated. But we rarely do anything about it for the first few hours after waking up. Having 2-3 big glasses of water is a must – especially for your muscles. Our muscles are made up of up to 80% water. They need water as much as they need any macronutrient.

4. Have a cold shower.

A cold shower will do more than just wake you up, it’ll help naturally raise your testosterone levels. Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone are the two most important positive hormones for building muscle.

High natural levels of both of these hormones will help you recover faster, in turn, building more muscle than you can with normal or average levels of either hormone.

5. Eat meat and nuts.

Energy is one of the most important commodities we can have it life, let alone with our training. Having a breakfast that consists of meat (bacon, beef, chicken, fish, turkey, wild game etc…) will slow the rise of blood sugar. Meaning you’ll steadily increase your energy levels, experiencing no spike then decline that so many of us experience with breakfasts that include carbohydrates (fast or slow carbs, it doesn’t matter).

The omega-3’s in nuts (almonds, Brasil nuts, walnuts etc…) will increase brain function and improve your ability to recruit fat cells for energy. Add in a few omega 3 pills (buy them here) and you’re off to an even better start.

The saturated and monounsaturated fats from the meat and nuts will also help you naturally raise your testosterone levels in the wee hours of the morning.

Be sure to add a healthy amount of vegetables to this first meal. With a high protein and fat diet, vegetables will help our ph levels remain alkaline. You don’t want acidic ph levels. It’s not a great atmosphere for optimal gains.

6. Drink coffee before you train.

Fast forward an hour and we’re about to head to the gym (assuming you train in the morning). Coffee is a great, natural stimulant that’s high in antioxidants.

As I said before, energy is arguably our greatest friend in any walk of life. The more we have when we train, the better our workouts will be, the more fat we’ll burn, and the more muscle we’ll build.

Have a couple espresso’s before you walk into the gym and kill your workout.

7. Take BCAAs.

If you can only afford one supplement, make it BCAAs. BCAAs increase blood sugar while we train. Most importantly, they are strongly anti-catabolic. Catabolic is a state where we’re burning muscle. When we train, we’re technically in this state due to the fact that we’re making microscopic tears in our muscles, which we then heal with proper recovery.

To have something that’s anti-catabolic during our workout is extremely effective and important. I have a ton of BCAAs before and during my workout. I prefer caps (or pills) because the measurement is more precise. Where it’s suggested to take 6 caps before a workout. I take 12 before, then 12 again 2 more times during my workout.

If we’re going to see our dream body in the mirror, our day can’t be filled with random events. We need routine. We need planning. Our success in our training will be the result of successful habits. It WILL NOT come due to some divine intervention, gift, or as the result of “luck”.

Take your morning routine seriously. Make your transformation a reality.